Carrying device for containers



Dec. 30, 1958 E. 0. THEN CARRYING DEVICE FOR CONTAINERS Filed Dec. 23, 1955 INVENTOR.

. EDWARD 0. THEN BY 44% g/fimk 5207; MQ 'Z AT TORNEYS United States Patent G F CARRYING DEVICE FOR CONTAINERS Edward Then, Newark, N. J., assignor to American Can Company New Y New sey ork, N. Y., a corporation of The present inventionrelates to devices a plurality Ofcontainers and the like in jur r p d s fl il lation as a umtary package and has particular reference to a carrying handle having secured thereto elements for supporting and coupling the containers together.

An ob ect of the instant invention is the provision of an lnexpensive carrying device which is economica ly made from simple separate parts which may be readily assembled into a complete unit.

Another object is the provision of such a carrying device in which a handle. is provided with separate clips which couple adjacent containers together in such a manner as to retain them in secure juxtaposed position during handling and carrying and yet permits of ready separatron of the containers by the consumer for use individually.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invent10n w ll be apparent as it is better understood from the followmg descnption, which-taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure l. is a perspective view of a pair of juxtaposed containers. secured together for carrying as a unitary package by a carrying device embodying the instant invention;

Fig. 21s an enlarged side view of the carrying device shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 33 in Fig. 2, with parts broken away;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along a plane indicated by the lines 44 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially along the line 55 in Fig. 4; with parts broken away;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged side view of a modified form of the carrying. device shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the parts of the. carrying deviceshown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along a plane indicated by the lines 88 in Fig. 7; and

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary side view of a lower corner of. the carrying device shown in Fig. 6 with parts removed- As a preferred or exemplary embodiment of the instant invention the drawings illustrate a carrying device A for carrying as a unitary package a pair of fibre milk containers 3 (Fig. 1) disposed in juxtaposed relation. The containers B preferably are of the character disclosedin United States Patent 2,085,979, issued July 6, 1937, to John M. Hothersall on Container.

Such a container comprises a rectangular body having flat side walls E which at their upper ends are formed with necked-in portions F and an immediately adjacent outwardly or laterally projecting peripheral end seam 0r ledge G which secures in place a flat top member H. In the juxtaposed relation of the containers B, two side walls E are directly opposite each other in substantially contiguous relation as best shown in Fig. l, with the ledges 2,866,661 Patented Dec. 30, 1958 G adjacent these side walls in substantially coincident relation. The immediately connecting portions of the ledges G, disposed at right angles to the ends of the transverse ledge portions extend along the two long outer edges of the package in continuing or endwise alignment and are termed the outer longitudinally aligned ledges or ledge portions. Theseend seams or ledges G are utilized by the carrying device A to tie or couple together two such containers and support them for carrying purposes.

In thepreferred form of the invention as illustrated in Figs. 1 to S'inclusive, the carrying device A comprises a fiat handle 11 for insertion between the containers B adjacent their coincident ledges G and a pair of gripper clips or coupling elements 12 carried on the handle- 11 for clamping engagement over adjacent portions of the longitudinally aligned ledges G of the juxtaposed containers.

The handle 11 preferably is a relativelyv heavy fibre board member, although it may be made of metal, plastic or other suitable material, and is in general of substantially rectangular contour. The upper portion of the handle 11, which is adapted to extend above the juxtaposed containers B, preferably is provided with a finger or carrying opening 14. Immediately below this opening the outer vertical: edges of the handle are notchedout to provide a pair of opposed convex curved edge seats 15 which terminate at their lower ends in short horizontal edge seats 17 extending inwardly from each vertical edge of the. handle and spaced upwardly from the bottom edge thereof to support. the gripper clips or couplers 12. The lower portion. of the handle, from the horizontal edge seats. 17 to the bottom. edge is intended to fit between the containers B-below the tops thereof.

The gripper clips or coupler. elements 12; preferably are made of sheet. metal such as tin plate, black lron plate, aluminum, or other suitable material and comprises an elongated channel portion 19 havingupper and lower spaced and parallel horizontal legs 21, 22 connected by a vertical leg 23 andproportioned to. fit snugly over and around the longitudinal aligned ledges Got the containers B. The upper leg 21 of these couplers 12 is formed. with a wing extension which curves upwardly and inwardly to provide above the leg 21, a convexly curved support wall 25. to correspond to and seat against the edge seats 15 in the vertical edges of the handle 11. This convexly curved support Wall 25 1s provided with integral depending side wings 26 which tightly grip against the sides of the handle 11 ad acent'the edge seats 15 to hold the couplers in place on the handle.

The inner edge of the top leg 21 of the couplers 12 is further formed with a pair of spaced apart, downwardly bent hooks 27 for engagementzagainst an inner shouldered edge 28 of the ledges. G.'(Figs. 1 and 4 The inner edge of the lower leg 22 of the couplers is also formed with a pair of spaced notches 29 to clear puckered projections 30 which extend outwardly beyond the outer faces of the necked-in portions F at the corners of the containers (see Fig. 5);. This permits the lower legs 22 to extend inwardly for'thefull neckeddn portionF or the seam and also engages around the'puckered corners and thus prevents the containers from separation laterally.

Two of the couplers 12 are applied to each handle 11 as shown in Fig. 2, with the convexly curved support walls 25 engaging against the edge seats '15 in .thevertical edges of the handle and with the upper legs 21 of the couplers resting on the horizontal edge seats 17 in the vertical edges of the handle. In this position, the elongated channel portion 19 of the coupler elements projects beyond the vertical edges of the handle 11 and extends from opposite faces thereof at substantially right angles thereto as best shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 5. The side wings 26 on the curved support wall 25 of the coupler elements 12 press against opposing faces of the handle and hold the coupler elements firmly in place on the handle.

When such a carrier device A is applied to a pair of juxtaposed containers B as shownin Fig. 1, the handle 11 is disposed between the containers with its upper portion, extending above the tops of the containers and its lower portion extending below and between the coincident portions of the ledges G. The coupler elements 12 attached to the handle are disposed adjacent the longitudinally alined sides E of the two containers and engage over and beneath the longitudinally aligned ledges G on opposite faces of the handle with their hook portions 27 of the upper legs 21 engaged over the shoulder 28 .of these longitudinally aligned ledges. Adjacent, spaced apart, inner ends 32 of these hook portions 27 (see Fig. 3) also engage against the shoulders 28 of the coincident portions of the ledges G.

Thus the coupler elements 12 on opposite edges of the handle 11, tie and lock the two juxtaposed containers B together against lateral displacement and thus secure them in a unitary package. This locking of the coupler elements 12 on the containers also locks the handle 11 in place so that when the package is lifted and carried by the handle the weight of the package is supported on the edge seats 15, 17 in the vertical edges of the handle with the result that the handle cannot be displaced. When the consumer desires to break the containers apart for individual use, it is an easy matter to pry the coupler elements 12 free of the container ledges G so as to remove the handle.

In a modified form of the invention as disclosed in Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9 of the drawings, the handle 11 is provided with a pair of aligned horizontal slots 35 (Fig. 9) which extend inwardly from the vertical edges of the handle in spaced relation to the bottom edge of the handle. The lower defining edges of the slots 35 provide the edge seats 17 of the preferred form. These slots eliminate the curved edge seats 15 of the preferred form.

In this modified form, the upper leg 21 of the elongated channel portion 19 of the coupler elements 12 is provided with a horizontal support wall 36 (Figs. 7 and 8) for engagement in the slot 35 of the handle. This support wall 36 preferably is triangular in shape and is provided with integral reenforcing portions 37 bent inwardly under the support wall in engagement therewith. to produce a double layer wall. These reenforcing portions 37 terminate in spaced relation at the middle of the extension support wall 36, and merge into a pair of spaced and parallel depending wings 38 for tight fitting engagement against opposite faces of the handle 11 below the slots 35, as in the instance of the side wings 26 of the preferred form of the invention.

When these modified coupler elements 12 are used with a handle having the slots 35, the support walls 36 engage in the slots on opposite edges of the handle 11 with the wings 38 gripping opposite faces of the handle to hold the coupler elements in place to support the containers B when applied to a unitary package as in the preferred form of the invention. The elongated channel portion 19 of each coupler element 12 extends in opposite directions beyond the handle edges in the same manner as in the instance of the preferred form so as to similarly grip and tie the containers together.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. A carrier for a plurality of juxtaposed rectangular containers having laterally projecting peripheral ledges at their upper ends, portions of said ledges being arranged in transverse parallel relation and other portions arranged in endwise longitudinally aligned relation at right angles thereto, said carrier comprising a flat handle member insertable between said transverse parallel container ledge portions, a separate elongated channel shaped gripper member secured to each of the opposite vertical edges of said handle member, each of said gripper members having upper and lower spaced and parallel horizontal legs disposed normal to the plane of and extending along the opposite sides of said handle member, said legs being designed for clamping engagement over said longitudinally aligned ledge portions of said juxtaposed containers in parallel planes normal to the plane of said fiat handle member for coupling the containers together and for supporting and carrying said containers as a unitary package.

2. A carrier of the character defined in claim 1 wherein each of said gripper members is provided with an inwardly extending support wall projecting from the upper horizontal legs of said members and wherein said handle member is provided with a preformed seat for supporting said gripper members on said handle member.

3. A carrier of the character defined in claim 2 wherein said support wall comprises an upwardly and inwardly curved wall and said formed seat is of a corresponding curved configuration provided in vertical side edges of said handle member.

4. A carrier of the character defined in claim 2 wherein each gripper member support wall comprises a horizontal wall and said formed seat comprises the lower edge of a horizontal slot formed in said handle member.

5. A carrier of the character defined in claim 2 wherein said gripper member support Walls are each provided with spaced and parallel side wings for clamping engagement against opposite faces of said handle member for securing of said gripper members to said handle member.

6. A carrier of the character defined in claim 2 wherein said lower legs of said gripper members are each provided with clearance notches to clear and engage around puckered corners of said containers to provide for full engagement of said gripper members beneath said peripheral container ledge portions and to retain said containers against lateral separation.

7. A carrier of the character defined in claim 3 wherein said curved seats in said handle member edges are each provided with a supplemental horizontally disposed seat located at the base of said curved seat.

8. A carrier of the character defined in claim 4 wherein said slot extends inwardly from the vertical side edges of said handle and is of a width substantially equal to the thickness of said gripper member support wall for confining a said gripper member in said slot.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,693,385 Cavalli et al Nov. 2, 1954 2,694,596 Greenlaw et al. Nov. 16, 1954 2,711,922 Batkin June 28, 1955 

